Dad 'left baby to die in hot motor' while he got haircut and went to a bar

Daily Record

6 hours ago

Scott Allen Gardner allegedly left little 18-month-old Sebastian "helpless in a hot truck" on June 6 as the mercury hit 33C.
A dad is accused of leaving his baby son inside his scorching hot car for more than three hours whilst he went to get a haircut and had a drink at a bar.
Scott Allen Gardner allegedly left little 18-month-old Sebastian "helpless in a hot truck" on June 6 as the mercury hit 33C. Police in Florida arrested the 33-year-old on Thursday and charged him with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm, The Mirror reports.
‌
Authorities said: "Gardner is responsible for the death of his 18-month-old son Sebastian, who was left helpless in a hot truck for more than 3 hours on the afternoon of Friday, June 6, while Gardner got a haircut and then went drinking inside Hanky Panky's Lounge."
‌
The Volusia Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post that during the investigation, Gardner"gave multiple false accounts" of what happened on the day the toddler died.
According to officials, the tragic tot's body temperature reached 111F - nearly 44C - when he was left in the car.
At the time, temperatures outside had reached 92F - 33C - at Hanky Panky's Lounge in Ormond Beach, where the car with the toddler was parked. Sadly, despite life-saving measures carried out by law enforcement, the little boy passed away.
Police were able to track down Gardner to his mother's home in Ormond beach, nearly two weeks on from the tragedy.
Footage shared by the Volusia Sheriff's Office on social media shows that as the man was dragged away from the home, two unidentified people shouted at him from the property, saying they loved him.
‌
"I love you guys," Gardner replied before one of the officers told him: "Say goodbye, because you're not going to come back here again." The suspect was booked into Volusia County Jail where he is being held on a $100,000 (£74,305) bond. The police i nvestigation is ongoing.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Leaving your child in a car, even for just a few minutes can be highly dangerous causing irreversible damage or, at worst, death.
‌
Sadly, many people will take a the risk, unaware of quickly the situation can turn deadly.
Last month, the Mirror spoke to expert Dr Matthew McCarter, who broke down exactly what happens to a body after being left in a car.
"On a warm day, the temperature inside a parked car can rise sharply, even with the windows cracked," he said. "Within just 10 minutes, the inside of a car can reach dangerous levels – often rising by 10–20C above the outside temperature. For example, on a 25C day, it can hit 45C inside the vehicle in less than half an hour." This turns the car into an oven, with no escape from the heat.
Dr Matthew explained.
"If internal body temperature rises above 40°C, this can result in heatstroke – a medical emergency. Organs begin to fail, and without rapid treatment, it can be fatal."